Last Train to London

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

Reigen told himself that he'd celebrate every good thing that came his way from now on--no matter how small. He wouldn't celebrate it in want of something but for it's own sake. After all, there was no higher power to bargain with. It was just him.

Him and two kids.

Him and two kids and a giant VW Bus he was 60% comfortable handling. And a magical piece of paper that kept their entire lives packed neatly and lightly.

He kept reminding himself of how far he'd come in just a few weeks whenever he started really missing a nice matcha. He had Doppio on a strict assignment to look out for even the instant stuff. Every day was a new lesson in unpredictability but they'd found that there were clusters of stability. Some towns had mostly escaped the rupture unscathed and others were like patchwork from a monkey's hands. You just took what you got, hustled, and hoped for the best.

Today--today wasn't bad. They'd lucked out with a highway cutting through a sprawling plain with small patches of life in the distance. There was no telling how long the road would last, but word had spread across the town they'd just left that it went on for awhile. The street signs weren't in a language he recognized but it's not like they'd serve their purpose even if they did. Reigen spared a thought for all the taxpayer dollars gone to waste.

"Quartermaster," he snapped his fingers and adjusted the thick technicolor shades on his nose, "coffee me."

Comments

[throughthelookingmax]

"Sure. Don't mind an indirect kiss, do you?"

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

Reigen’s face went from slightly flushed to beet red. He fixed his jaw to open to clear his throat and laugh it off.

“Do I look thirteen to you?” He jostled the bottle. “And here I thought Americans were more libertine.”

[throughthelookingmax]

Max laughed. "It's not like I asked for my benefit." She took a swig from the bottle, then offered it back to Reigen.

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

“Do I look shy to you?” Reigen took it back and stared at the rim for a moment before guzzling some down.

[throughthelookingmax]

"More like not into kissing girls."

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

PBSTHH!

The sweet wine was much less sweet when it was being ejected from between his teeth.

[throughthelookingmax]

"You okay there?" Max pat his shoulder with legitimate concern.

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

Reigen wiped his mouth with his sleeve roughly. He looked at her and then down at himself. Some of the wine had stained the colorful pattern that peaked out via the pointed collar beneath the jacket.

"...Okay, I can see how the shirt gave you the wrong impression. But it's what I found in the back of the van. Honest."

[throughthelookingmax]

"It's not the clothes." Though the clothes were nice. "I have a sixth sense about it."

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

"Oh, okay. Sure. More powers. What's next? Laser vision? Invisibility? A legendary sword you pull out of your chest that you'll use to slay the jabberwocky?"

[throughthelookingmax]

"My powers are never wrong. But if you must know, my power comes from being queer myself. It makes it much easier to locate my own kind."

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

Reigen sniffed, still tasting grape on his lips. The buzz was taking over now.

“Ah…that so?” He bowed his head. “Sorry. I was being immature.”

[throughthelookingmax]

"Hey, it's fine," Max reassured him.

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

“Still…” Reigen straightened himself up in his seat. “It takes a lot of confidence to wager what’s going on in someone’s heart. Besides, I don’t think I’m in a position to prove you right or wrong.”

[throughthelookingmax]

"What do you mean?"

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

"Not a lot of chances for a hot date around here. Besides, I got the kids."

[throughthelookingmax]

"What excuse do I have? I've got no kids I'm taking care of and I haven't had a single date."

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

"Guess I'm in good company." 'Lucky me.'

He took another swig off the bottle and passed it back. "...Well. I may not be your type, but...I have booze and I know how to play a shamisen."

[throughthelookingmax]

"A shamisen?" Max had never heard of anyone playing that before. "I play guitar. If we manage to find them, maybe we can start our own traveling band."

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

Reigen forced himself back onto his feet to root around in the back of the van. "Like we're bards or something? Well...plenty of inspiration in a crazy world like this. Maybe we'll even find some hunky hero to sing about. Or heroine."

He found it by the biggest beanbag--the shamisen. He had insisted on bringing it on the trip with him--his last business trip, that was. He picked it up to warm the skin of it with his hands.

'Master, why're you bringing that? Weren't you just saying we had to travel light?'

'Mob, what kind of question is that? This is for the Hibagon.'

'Does it like music or something?'

'Dunno.'

'Oh...so then why are we bringing it?'

'So we can find out. ...Don't give me that look. No one knows much about it. Haven't you heard of Amaterasu and the dance of Ameno-uzume-no-Mikoto? Or Orpheus and Cerebus? '

'What if it doesn't like it?'

'C'mon, think positively. Then we'll know more about it than we did before.'

Reigen scoffed. The truth was he wanted those lessons in college to mean something to someone other than himself. He returned with it in tow and laid his blanket out on the ground to kneel properly.

"I'm a little rusty, so...be gentle with me, okay?"

[throughthelookingmax]

"Wait, you actually have one?" Max was obviously surprised. "Yeah, no judgment. Promise."

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

The snow was falling in full-bodied flakes now, thick and lazy. He fidgeted to situate himself. The ground was at least soft and insulated beneath the blanket thanks to all the fallen pine needles. Reigen held his fingers to the fire to warm them up--the melody he had in mind required a light and delicate touch.

Reigen strummed the bachi against the strings. The notes began softly, tentatively even. The rhythm was slow and uneven much like the first few flakes before the snowfall. The melody hit it's stride, measured and sparse. Each pluck lingered as if drawing out the anticipation of what was to follow. Then, it quickened. His fingers resisted the chill that threatened to settle into them again as they picked up the tempo, a tremolo rising and rising until it became one long and resonant note. Then, as quickly as it had risen, the sharp edges of the notes softened and thinned. His fingers coaxed the last notes of the melody out in a gentle rippling sigh that hung in the air before fading away.

Swallowing, Reigen bowed his head, as was traditional.

[throughthelookingmax]

Max applauded. "That was good." She hoped it didn't sound sarcastic or demeaning. She really meant it.

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

Reigen was grinning when he raised his head, exhaling thick jet of steam. “Not too much for a first date?”

[throughthelookingmax]

Max laughed. "If that's what you want to call it."